Whereas the 147 was available in 3-door and 5-door versions, the Giulietta is only offered as a 5-door. It still has Alfa’s famous V-shaped grille and the hidden rear door handle in the C-pillar, like the Alfa’s 147 and 156. In the dark, the rear lights and brake lights of the Giulietta look like question marks lying down. At first, the car was expected to be named 149 or Milano, but the name Giulietta is a remnant of the past, as the original Alfa Giulietta was a small rear wheel drive coupe, saloon and spider, produced from 1954 to 1962.

The front-wheel drive only Giulietta shares its platform and engines with the Fiat Bravo and Lancia Delta, but also the Dodge Dart, Chrysler 200 and Jeep Cherokee in the United States and the Fiat Viaggio and Ottimo in China.

Sales of the Giulietta peaked at 78.911 in 2011, and decreased quickly thereafter. The model received a facelift in 2013, but most of the changes were done to give the interior a more premium feel, while the exterior design was only slightly modified.